+44 7938 071837
What to do when a heat pump dryer fails to perform
Donna Adams from Dumfries recently reached out to our Money blog with a question about her heat pump dryer. Despite being told by the retailer and manufacturer that there was no fault with her new Candy heat pump dryer, Donna was experiencing issues with long drying times and multiple cycles needed to dry a small load.
After further investigation, it was revealed that many other consumers have also experienced similar problems with this particular model. We asked Scott Dixon, from The Complaints Resolver, to provide some insight on this matter.
According to Scott, the first thing to remember is that the contract is always with the retailer, not the manufacturer. In this case, Donna had done her research and expected the drying time to be a little longer. However, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies and states that goods should be fit for purpose, as described, of satisfactory quality, and last a reasonable amount of time.
Scott explains that the act gives consumers 30 days to reject faulty goods, with the onus on them to prove the fault. After 30 days, the burden shifts to the retailer to prove that the goods were not faulty at the time of sale. After six months, the onus shifts back to the consumer to prove that the goods had inherent faults at the time of sale.
In this case, the engineer verbally acknowledged an issue with the dryer and mentioned receiving many complaints about this model, but did not put it in writing. Scott believes this is a common tactic used by retailers to deny consumers a remedy.
To strengthen her case, Scott suggests that Donna search online for forums where others have shared similar experiences with this particular model. This will prove that there are inherent issues and support her claim.
He also advises getting an independent report from a qualified professional to confirm the engineer’s findings. Ultimately, Scott believes that Donna is entitled to reject the goods as they were not as described and she was misled into making a purchase she would not have otherwise made.
If the retailer continues to refuse a resolution, Scott recommends writing to the CEO and following the small claims court process if necessary.
After being contacted by Sky News, AO arranged for a further inspection of Donna’s dryer and confirmed that it was faulty. They have offered her a replacement with their apologies. Candy did not respond to a request for comment.
Remember, this feature is not intended as financial advice. If you have a consumer dilemma or dispute, submit it through our online form or email us at news@skynews.com with the subject line “Money blog”. You can also reach us on WhatsApp at +44 7938 071837.